Amateur-built FLIGHTSTAR II accident near Wake, Virginia, January 14, 2016
On January 14, 2016 at about 7:05 pm local time, a 1995 amateur-built FLIGHTSTAR II, registered N82652, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Wake, Virginia (Hummel Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the left wing in flight due to compression loading from wing loads combined with preexisting damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 2016 · about 7:05 pm local time
- Place
- Wake, Virginia · Hummel Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built FLIGHTSTAR II NO SERIES, built 1995
- Registration
- N82652 · no longer on the register · serial 083
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The sport pilot was conducting a personal cross-county flight back to his home airport in visual flight rules conditions. While climbing through an altitude of about 1,000 ft msl, the airplane's left wing suffered a catastrophic failure, folding upward and rendering the airplane uncontrollable. The airplane descended to ground impact in heavily wooded terrain. Examination of the left wing revealed that the forward wing spar likely fractured due to compression loading from wing loads combined with preexisting damage on the leading edge, leading to an overstress condition about 4 ft outboard of the fracture location. No indications of fatigue cracks were observed. Damage patterns indicated that the preexisting damage was likely due to an impact on the leading edge. Examination of the wing did not reveal any bird strike residue, and a witness's observation made on the morning of the accident that an area of the left wing about 4 ft outboard of the wing root appeared to be deformed indicated that damage to the wing likely occurred before the accident flight. While it is possible that this damage occurred 5 days before the accident when the right landing gear wheel broke off and the right axle dug into the ground during landing at the end of the previous flight, the source of the damage observed by the witness could not be definitively determined. The pilot had a history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and a coronary artery bypass. In addition, he had a pacemaker implanted. Atorvastatin, a cholesterol lowering medication, and sotalol, an antiarrhythmic heart medication, were found during toxicology. However, there was no evidence that the pilot's heart disease or medications impaired his performance or incapacitated him.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during prior to flight
- Aircraft structural failure during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Main frame (on wing) › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Spar (on wing) › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Flight time: 570 hours in all; 201 in this make and model; 3.7 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 311.1 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 8, 2016; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 970 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W75 Wake VA at 6:55 pm
- Destination: 92VA Gloucester VA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 6:07 pm from W75, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on January 31, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 16-064 | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Statements and Memorandum of Interviews | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Sport Pilot Logbook Excerpt | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Airplane Logbook Excerpt | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Accident Site and Damage Photographs | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Map of Flight Route, Altitude and Speed | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | GPS Tabular Data | spreadsheet | Download |
| 8 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Evidence Control Forms | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 11 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.